THE FALLOUT from Miss Universe 2015 coronation night continues. The media is having a field day. But some words from bloggers have actually made sense in the middle of cyber-bedlam.

 

I ran into a blog by Cam Triggs, “An Escape from a Culture of Failure.” I am taking the liberty of quoting a few significant lines.

 

“Failure culture is one that stampedes to mimic and mock the failures of others, yet is unwilling to deal with our own.

 

“There is something within us that feels better when we gaze at the wrinkles and cracks of others, especially public figures. [How true!—CCR]

 

“It is much easier to laugh at others’ inconsistencies than crucially evaluate my own.” [Ouch!]

 

Steve Harvey is one of my favorite TV personalities. I read that he is a good man. That night he made a huge mistake. But he owned up, never once blaming anyone or anything for his goof up. He took full responsibility.

 

I almost said “like a man.”

 

No matter, Harvey will never live it down. What a shame.

 

Regardless of the foul-up, the gnashing of teeth and turmoil that marred the pageant, we are flying high. We have a beautiful Miss Universe.

 

Congratulations, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, our hearts burst with pride.

 

I was impressed with Miss Colombia’s initial reaction and felt sad to see them take the crown from her head. But I liked it when she said, “Things happen for a reason.” It spoke of maturity. Others were rude.

 

Here’s a thought: If it had happened the other way around, how would we have behaved? Gracious and poised?

 

Or would our reaction be perhaps a tad violent? I am told that Filipinos are not exactly the best losers in the world. You think?

 

Someone suggested that people would take to the streets. I don’t know about that, but I am certain there would be an awful noise.

 

Social media continues on its unstoppable rampage of tweets and comments without considering that it can only exacerbate the pain in some already very wounded hearts. I ask all those “itchy fingers” to please stop the bashing, to refrain from the usual tasteless mocking and hissing.

 

Let us not add fuel to the flames. It takes character to face defeat, and a humble heart to be magnanimous in victory.

 

And now 2016

 

Is the New Year coming too soon for you? Soon, 2015 will seem like just a blur. Let us savor these last few days. The Lord has been extremely kind and generous. I am grateful.

 

I look forward to new things. In one corner of my mind, I see myself hiring a physical therapist to help me limber up. My children will say: “Go for it!”

 

Also on my agenda is a much-postponed trip to Atlanta. My sister promises to come back with me. I’m so excited. Next is Florida. I haven’t seen my youngest daughter in a couple of years. If I’m lucky, I will manage a trip to Seattle. My eldest grandchild and her family live there. I may even get to Vancouver, finally.

 

I smile as I see images of two feisty little old ladies getting on a plane and sitting there for umpteen hours with nothing to do. And I start to hyperventilate. Not a problem. It’s nothing that a watered-down Margarita can’t fix.

 

And as the old year gets ready to bid goodbye, I get little bouts of nostalgia. Memories invade. Call me an incurable romantic but I still wait for that dramatic stroke of midnight. Ah, to be young again.

 

‘Do not fear!’

 

Christmas always leaves a wistful hangover in our house. The magic it weaves lingers. And although the day of gifts and gorging is over, the spirit stays.

 

Let me share an inspired blog by Jason Saroski, musician, father of five, pastor and writer. It is about “the moment you never noticed” in that now 50-year-old classic cartoon, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” by Charles Schultz.

 

We all know Charlie Brown, Peanuts, Lucy, Snoopy and Sally. And then there is Linus, the little guy so attached to his security blanket he never lets it go.

 

Anyway, in the story, Charlie Brown asks Linus: “What is Christmas all about?”

 

Linus takes center stage, all the while clutching his blue blanket. He recites from the second book of Luke who describes that one wonderful night in Bethlehem, about the star, the shepherds and angels.

 

Then comes “the moment we never noticed.” Linus gets to the 10th verse that starts: “Fear not!” And suddenly he drops the blanket.

 

What does it mean? The writer explains.

 

“The birth of Jesus separates us from our fears. The birth of Jesus frees us from the habits we are unable [or unwilling] to break ourselves.

 

“The birth of Jesus allows us to simply drop the false security we have been grasping so tightly and learn to trust and cling to Him instead.

 

“In the midst of fear and insecurity, this simple cartoon image from 1965 continues to live on as an inspiration for us to seek true peace and true security in the one place it has always been and can always still be found.”

 

The world is a scary place. As the New Year dawns on this uncertain planet, let us not forget the only source of our peace.

 

On New Year’s Eve, at the stroke of midnight, be like Linus. Just drop the blanket!

 

Happy New Year!